Scarlet Carnation

By: Laila Ibrahim
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Pages: 314

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I received this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): In an early twentieth-century America roiling with racial injustice, class divides, and WWI, two women fight for their dreams in a galvanizing novel by the bestselling author of Golden Poppies.

1915. May and Naomi are extended family, their grandmothers’ lives inseparably entwined on a Virginia plantation in the volatile time leading up to the Civil War. For both women, the twentieth century promises social transformation and equal opportunity.

May, a young white woman, is on the brink of achieving the independent life she’s dreamed of since childhood. Naomi, a nurse, mother, and leader of the NAACP, has fulfilled her own dearest desire: buying a home for her family. But they both are about to learn that dreams can be destroyed in an instant. May’s future is upended, and she is forced to rely once again on her mother. Meanwhile, the white-majority neighborhood into which Naomi has moved is organizing against her while her sons are away fighting for their country.

In the tumult of a changing nation, these two women—whose grandmothers survived the Civil War—support each other’s quest for liberation and dignity. Both find the strength to confront injustice and the faith to thrive on their chosen paths.

First Impressions

The cover of this book is very pretty and is what caught my eye in the first place. The summary sounded interesting and unlike other stories I had read so I was curious. The one thing that made me hesitant was finding out the author was white and also very religious.

What I thought

While this book may not be for everyone, I found it to be an interesting story.

May is white, in her 20s, and on the edge of what she begins to be the rest of her life. Naomi is black, older, and fighting for her rights in Oakland California in 1916. They are tied together through Naomi’s mother-in-law and May’s grandmother and are family through marriage. This story follows them as they deal with their lives.

This book is told in alternating chapters but they felt like completely separate stories. While they did overlap a little in the beginning, as the story went on it felt like I was reading two different books. I didn’t mind it, but I felt like Naomi’s story could’ve been it’s own book. May’s story was interesting and I enjoyed seeing it played out, but if felt like it was wrapped up about halfway through. I never quite understood why these stories were chosen to be told together.

The saddest part is how little the world has changed in 100 years even down to the pandemic and masks. It felt like everything I was reading was present day minus the use of technology and it made me sad and angry. All of the things that Naomi was fighting for is still pertinent today and it broke my heart.

I will warn you that there are a few very (and I mean very) graphic birthing scenes. These scenes might haunt me. And there were like 3 of them. I could’ve done with a little more mystery and less detail to be honest. I also could’ve done with a little less religion, but that’s a personal issue. I’m not a very religious person so I don’t relate to it and find it uncomfortable to read at times.

While this story being told might not be a new one, the perspective of it was interesting. I enjoyed May’s story and I enjoyed Naomi’s. I feel like both of them could’ve been fleshed out a little more, especially Naomi’s. And I know some people are going to view a white author writing the perspective of a black woman as problematic. I don’t know where I stand on that issue, personally. I know I her author’s note she acknowledged this and shared that she had a lot of people of color read this story and provide feedback.

This story was a bit slow to begin with but did pick up and I found myself invested in the characters. While there are parts of the story that I felt were a little weak, the characters themselves were strong and this held the book together. If you are interested in some historical fiction in the late 1910’s, I recommend this book. Just don’t get your hopes up that anything has changed in the past 100 years.

The Mad Girls of New York

By: Maya Rodale
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 336

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): In 1887 New York City, Nellie Bly has ambitions beyond writing for the ladies pages, but all the editors on Newspaper Row think women are too emotional, respectable and delicate to do the job. But then the New York World challenges her to an assignment she'd be mad to accept and mad to refuse: go undercover as a patient at Blackwell's Island Insane Asylum for Women.

For months, rumors have been swirling about deplorable conditions at Blackwell’s, but no reporter can get in—that is, until Nellie feigns insanity, gets committed and attempts to survive ten days in the madhouse. Inside, she discovers horrors beyond comprehension. It's an investigation that could make her career—if she can get out to tell it before two rival reporters scoop her story.

From USA Today bestselling author Maya Rodale comes a rollicking historical adventure series about the outrageous intrigues and bold flirtations of the most famous female reporter—and a groundbreaking rebel—of New York City’s Gilded Age.

First Impressions

The cover is a bit cartoon-y for me. It didn’t really appeal to me honestly. Luckily, the title intrigued me enough and the summary really caught my interest. I understand wanting to not make the cover too dark but I don’t think the book is ultimately going to attract the right audience. So basically, the first impression was not strong with this one.

What I thought

This is a historical fiction that follows Nellie Bly on her first big assignment; 10 days in the Blackwell Insane Asylum.

I didn’t know about Nellie Bly before reading this book. She was a famous reporter in the late 1800s-early 1900s who pioneered undercover journalism. Her first big story was going undercover as an insane woman in Blackwell’s Insane Asylum in New York City. When she first moved to New York City, she struggled to get hired as a woman, but once she found her gimmick, she committed and ended up writing a powerful story.

This story also has some additional characters that I’m not sure whether or not they truly existed, or at the very least not in this capacity. . First is Sam Colton, a male reporter who was vying for the same position at The World as Nellie. Second is Marian, a fellow female reporter who inspires Nellie to go after the story that is her big break.

I always enjoy stories that teach me about strong women in history. This book was a bit long at times, but I enjoyed the story a lot. It was fascinating to see the struggles of how women lived during the late 1800s. As a psychology minor in college, I had read about hysteria and how women were deemed insane due to a “wandering uterus”. It was fascinating to read about it in the context of a historical fiction story and see the way that it impacted real women’s lives.

Nellie is a very intriguing individual and if this is to be a series that follows her and the other stories that she wrote, I am in for it 100%. It saddens me that it took until this book to learn about her existence and what she did. Without her, who knows what would have happened to the women at Blackwell as well as the future trajectory of female reporters.

The book was a little slow to start, but that may have been because I wanted to get to the part where she was in the asylum doing her research. I think that was my favorite portion of the book. The 10 days felt a little long, though I guess that’s sort of the point, and I wished the story had wrapped up certain parts just a little quicker. This story was so interesting to me and I enjoyed a lot of it. I always can tell a good historical fiction story because it makes me want to go research what really happened. If you like historical fiction and are looking for something that’s unique, I highly recommend checking this one out.

Book Club April 2022- We Are Not Like Them

By: Christine Pride & Jo Piazza
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: Atria Books
Pages: 334

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Told from alternating perspectives, an evocative and riveting novel about the lifelong bond between two women, one Black and one white, whose friendship is indelibly altered by a tragic event—a powerful and poignant exploration of race in America today and its devastating impact on ordinary lives.

Jen and Riley have been best friends since kindergarten. As adults, they remain as close as sisters, though their lives have taken different directions. Jen married young, and after years of trying, is finally pregnant. Riley pursued her childhood dream of becoming a television journalist and is poised to become one of the first Black female anchors of the top news channel in their hometown of Philadelphia.

But the deep bond they share is severely tested when Jen’s husband, a city police officer, is involved in the shooting of an unarmed Black teenager. Six months pregnant, Jen is in freefall as her future, her husband’s freedom, and her friendship with Riley are thrown into uncertainty. Covering this career-making story, Riley wrestles with the implications of this tragic incident for her Black community, her ambitions, and her relationship with her lifelong friend.

What I thought

Stephanie picked this book for book club and I won’t lie that it made me a little nervous after I read the summary. The cover is bright and I think a little misleading, but definitely the kind of cover I would pick up. The summary is heavy and I would probably have put it back down, even with my promise to read more things that make me uncomfortable.

I won’t sugar coat things. This was a difficult book to read. It tackles a very tough and very real topic and they don’t pull any punches.

Riley is a black newscaster. Jen is a white wife of a cop. Jen and Riley have been friends since day care when Jen’s husband shoots an unarmed 14 year old black boy and Riley is asked to cover the story.

First of all, is this book flawless? No. Do I think it’s a great starting point for tackling these topics? Absolutely. This book isn’t perfect. I thought it was interesting that even though Jen’s husband shot the boy, he was not the copy that identified the shooter (this comes out pretty early in the book so I don’t think it’s a spoiler). I also think that Jen and Riley’s friendship is a bit of a weak point and at times it seems like they only stay friends to keep the story moving forward. However, I think that it will spark a lot of wonderful conversations that need to be had and even these flaws might spark some great conversation.

I thought it was so interesting that the book was written by one black author and one white author. I think it brought a truth to the characters that I appreciated. Jen and her husband’s relationship did confuse me a little. I never felt like she really liked her husband so I was a bit confused as to her defense of him at times. I absolutely loved this book and am thankful it was picked for book club so I would pick it up. I can’t wait to discuss it and highly recommend it.

What Book Club Thought

Everybody loved this book. We all rated it 5 stars and we had so much to discuss. We probably could’ve talked even more about the book than we did. It is such a great book for book club discussions. We talked about our difference of opinions in what happened with Jen’s husband as well as the romance with Riley and whether or not it was necessary. But every time we discussed parts that we maybe weren’t crazy about, it sparked a discussion about how other people interpreted it and why the authors maybe made those choices and therefore why maybe it wasn’t so bad after all.

So, long story short, I highly recommend this book and recommend it even more as your next book club choice.

The No-Show

By: Beth O’Leary
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 352

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I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this book.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Siobhan is a quick-tempered life coach with way too much on her plate. Miranda is a tree surgeon used to being treated as just one of the guys on the job. Jane is a soft-spoken volunteer for the local charity shop with zero sense of self-worth.

These three women are strangers who have only one thing in common: They've all been stood up on the same day, the very worst day to be stood up--Valentine's Day. And, unbeknownst to them, they've all been stood up by the same man.

Once they've each forgiven him for standing them up, they let him back into their lives and are in serious danger of falling in love with a man who seems to have not just one or two but three women on the go....

Is there more to him than meets the eye? And will they each untangle the truth before they all get their hearts broken?

First Impression

Beth O’Leary is one of my auto-read authors. I loved her first and third books, The Flatshare and Road Trip. I had actually pre-ordered this book before I was offered the chance to read it for review so when I got that offer to read it early I was ecstatic. The cover is a pretty soft pink with a bit of chaos that I was drawn to. The summary also sounded intriguing.

What I thought

This book was the definition of a slow burn and was a bit of a roller coaster that ended up taking me by surprise.

Siobhan, Miranda, and Jane all get stood up on Valentine’s Day by the same man. When confronted with standing them up, Joseph Carter doesn’t have a good excuse to give, but for some reason they all forgive him.

Jane was definitely my favorite of the three women. I liked the mystery to her storyline and that she was a bit awkward and uncomfortable and was working towards finding herself. Miranda was also great with her strong personality and independence. She is a tree surgeon and one of few in the UK. Finally, there’s Siobhan. She took the longest to grow on me as an Influencer and life coach.

I don’t know if it was because I was reading this book at the same time as another or if it was the way the story played out, but it took me until I was about 50-60% of the way through to really get into it. That was the point where I started to figure out what was truly going on. It was hard to understand what all of these women were in love with Joseph which I think contributed to part of the difficulty I had getting into this story.

Once the book did start to pick up steam I did fly through it. There are some wonderful storylines and lessons in this book that really resonated with me and I hope that people give this book a full chance. Each of the characters in the story have their struggles and O’Leary writes them so well.

I think because of the slow pace, even though I ended up loving the final 40% of the book, this isn’t my favorite of O’Leary’s. That’s not to mean it’s not a great book, it’s just that Flashshare and Road trip were SO good. I cannot wait to read more by O’Leary and this book just continues to cement her as an auto-read author. If you haven’t read her books yet, what are you waiting for?

Under the Lights

By: Abbi Glines
Published Year: 2016
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 320

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): In the follow-up to Abbi Glines’s #1 New York Times bestseller Until Friday Night—three teens from a small southern town are stuck in a dramatic love triangle.

Willa can’t erase the bad decisions of her past that led her down the path she’s on now. But she can fight for forgiveness from her family. And she can protect herself by refusing to let anyone else get close to her.

High school quarterback and town golden boy Brady used to be the best of friends with Willa—she even had a crush on him when they were kids. But that’s all changed now: her life choices have made her a different person from the girl he used to know.

Gunner used to be friends with Willa and Brady, too. He too is larger than life and a high school football star—not to mention that his family basically owns the town of Lawton. He loves his life, and doesn’t care about anyone except himself. But Willa is the exception—and he understands the girl she’s become in a way no one else can.

As secrets come to light and hearts are broken, these former childhood friends must face the truth about growing up and falling in love…even if it means losing each other forever.

First Impressions

I read the first book in this series, Until Friday Night, 2017. When I was cleaning out my TBR I noticed this sequel and it jumped to the top of my list. I am a sucker for a good football story and the covers in this series are perfect. I remembered really enjoying the first book, so I knew that it was the perfect time to finally read the second.

What I thought

Willa has just moved back to Lawton after spending the last 6 years in Arkansas with her mother. She grew up in Lawton with her two best friends, Brady and Gunner, but now that she’s moved back she’s hiding some deep dark secrets and pain. Gunner has grown up to be a player who is also a bit broken, and Brady is the star quarterback and town nice guy. Who will Willa reconnect with after all this time?

This book got on my last nerve. If I had to hear Gunner complain about how he was broken and unlovable or Brady complain about how he wasn’t supposed to be an ass because he was a nice guy I was going to scream. Honestly, I didn’t have any issues with Willa but the two boys were terrible. If you have to continually state that you’re a nice guy, I’m sorry but you’re not a nice guy.

Willa was a complex character who was dealing with a lot of trauma in her past. I appreciated the way that she handled it and it felt very realistic to me. Oh, and can I also mention that literally every adult except for one in this book is a horrific human being. Not just like you’re run of the mill bad or neglectful parent but a legitimately horrible human that does and says unforgivable things. I understand in YA novels that adults aren’t always the best characters but this pushed it for me.

Also, can I talk about the ending? It was one of the most unsatisfying and random endings I have ever read. Not to mention that it was abrupt. It definitely knocked this book down a little and I didn’t think that was possible. On top of the repetition and over the top drama there was barely any football. Oh! And apparently this entire book takes place over the course of a week! All in all, this was not the type of football romance I had been hoping for and I don’t see myself continuing this series.

Until the ending, I had been leaning towards rating this book 3 stars. Yes it was a bit annoying, but overall it was still interesting and an easy read. However, the taste it left in my mouth made me knock it down to 2.5 stars. I enjoyed the first book in this series and would recommend that if you’re looking for a football romance you can check that one out and leave it at that.

Four Aunties and a Wedding

By: Jessie Q Sutanto
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 304

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this book.

Summary (Provided by StoryGraph): Meddy Chan has been to countless weddings, but she never imagined how her own would turn out. Now the day has arrived, and she can’t wait to marry her college sweetheart, Nathan. Instead of having Ma and the aunts cater to her wedding, Meddy wants them to enjoy the day as guests. As a compromise, they find the perfect wedding vendors: a Chinese-Indonesian family-run company just like theirs. Meddy is hesitant at first, but she hits it off right away with the wedding photographer, Staphanie, who reminds Meddy of herself, down to the unfortunately misspelled name.

Meddy realizes that is where their similarities end, however, when she overhears Staphanie talking about taking out a target. Horrified, Meddy can’t believe Staphanie and her family aren’t just like her own, they are The Family—actual mafia, and they’re using Meddy’s wedding as a chance to conduct shady business. Her aunties and mother won’t let Meddy’s wedding ceremony become a murder scene—over their dead bodies—and will do whatever it takes to save her special day, even if it means taking on the mafia.

First Impressions

I absolutely loved Dial A for Aunties and was super excited when I saw there was going to be a sequel. While I don’t love this cover as much as the original, the fact that it was continuing with the same characters was enough to make me immediately pick up this book. I was beyond excited when I was offered the opportunity to get my hands on it early.

What I thought

For as much as I loved the first book, I disliked this one. Well, I wouldn’t quite say I disliked it, but it was a disappointment.

Meddy is finally getting married to Nathan. Of course, her mother and her 3 aunties have to poke their noses in and they encourage Meddy to hire a family of Indo-Chinese wedding planners that reminds Meddy of her own family. The night before her wedding, Meddy overhears Staphanie, the wedding planner and Meddy’s equal, talk about taking out a target and comes to the conclusion that Staphanie’s family is a part of the mafia.

I think everything that worked in the first book is what didn’t work in the second. The Aunties went from being over the top to unbelievably over the top. I felt like in the first book it was a lot of acting out of love and misunderstanding that made things a bit ridiculous whereas in this book they were making conscious choices to act ridiculous and therefore read as caricatures of themselves. I also felt like Meddy was just dumb in this book. Plus I really disliked the way she spoke about still being embarrassed by her family, especially in front of Nathan’s parents.

I would have hoped that after everything Meddy had been through with her family it would’ve opened up communication and bettered their relationship, but it seem to be just the same, except now Meddy is just as clueless. In the first book, I was on the edge of my seat because I wasn’t sure how it was all going to work out and come together. With this one, I picked up immediately on what the true problem was and while I didn’t know exactly how it was going to get solved, I didn’t feel that same page turning desire.

Unfortunately, there was less Nathan and Meddy in this story and more Big Aunt and Fourth Aunt. Not even too much her of mom, which I would’ve loved reading more of their back and forth.

While this book wasn’t terrible, I almost wish they had stopped with book one. If there are more in the future, I don’t think I will be reaching for them. I enjoyed the first book so much, so I was disappointed by how much I didn’t love this one. While the aunties’ antics were charming in the first book, I found them embarrassing in the second.

Sadie on a Plate

By: Amanda Elliot
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 352

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I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this story.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Sadie is a rising star in the trendy Seattle restaurant scene. Her dream is to create unique, modern, and mouthwatering takes on traditional Jewish recipes. But after a public breakup with her boss, a famous chef, she is sure her career is over--until she lands a coveted spot on the next season of her favorite TV show, Chef Supreme.

On the plane to New York, Sadie has sizzling chemistry with her seatmate, Luke, but tells him that she won't be able to contact him for the next six weeks. They prolong their night with a spontaneous, magical dinner before parting ways. Or so she thinks. When she turns up to set the next day, she makes a shocking discovery about who Luke is....

If Sadie wants to save her career by winning Chef Supreme, she's going to have to ignore the simmering heat between her and Luke. But how long can she do that before the pot boils over?

First Impression

It has only been recently that I’ve found some books with Jewish characters that don’t center around Judaism and it has felt really nice to read. Between that and the story about a reality show competition, I was immediately sold. The cover is very cute and I like the colors. While it’s not my favorite of the cartoon covers, I think it would’ve caught my eye in person.

What I thought

I devoured this book, no pun intended.

Sadie is a chef in Seattle who is out of a job. When she gets a call to come in for an interview for a place on the TV show Chef Supreme, things start to turn around. Until she meets a cute guy on her flight who ends up being one of the judges.

If you were a fan of Top Chef you will absolutely love this book. It was basically like reading a season of the show and I loved every minute. I really liked that it went through each challenge and elimination. The ups, the downs, the details, the drama. I was here for all of it. It definitely helped that I liked Sadie and was rooting for her to win the whole show. Elliot did a nice job balancing the other contestants as likable, forgettable, and dislikable, so you didn’t always mind when people got eliminated.

I did like the insta-love connection with her and Luke. There was an immediate spark and it was fun seeing how they were going to work through the complication. I do feel like Sadie was a bit of an idiot when it came to the Luke stuff and sometimes I just wanted to shake her, but it was kind of a minor storyline so it didn’t bother me too much.

I also really appreciated all of the cultural reference. It wasn’t just Sadie and her nods to Jewish recipes in all of her challenges, but the other chefs paying tribute to their cultures or the cultures of their mentors. It was nice to see the growth of some of their chefs as they discovered who they are and find themselves in the kitchen.

This book was one I couldn’t put down. It felt like binge watching my favorite reality show and I now want to re-watch Top Chef. The details in the cooking were so enjoyable and I loved all of the characters. I would love this book to be a series or to follow some of the chefs from this season after the show, that’s how much I enjoyed them. I can’t wait for Elliot to write another book and am super impressed that this is her debut. I highly recommend it. Especially in the summer when you’re looking for a quick beach read.

The Book of Cold Cases

By: Simone St James
Published Year:  2022
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 352

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads):In 1977, Claire Lake, Oregon, was shaken by the Lady Killer Murders: Two men, seemingly randomly, were murdered with the same gun, with strange notes left behind. Beth Greer was the perfect suspect--a rich, eccentric twenty-three-year-old woman, seen fleeing one of the crimes. But she was acquitted, and she retreated to the isolation of her mansion.

Oregon, 2017. Shea Collins is a receptionist, but by night, she runs a true crime website, the Book of Cold Cases--a passion fueled by the attempted abduction she escaped as a child. When she meets Beth by chance, Shea asks her for an interview. To Shea's surprise, Beth says yes.

They meet regularly at Beth's mansion, though Shea is never comfortable there. Items move when she's not looking, and she could swear she's seen a girl outside the window. The allure of learning the truth about the case from the smart, charming Beth is too much to resist, but even as they grow closer, Shea senses something isn't right. Is she making friends with a manipulative murderer, or are there other dangers lurking in the darkness of the Greer house?

First Impressions

I have read a few of St. James’ novels, most recent being The Sun Down Motel. I’ve enjoyed all of them so I was excited when I saw she was coming out with another. I was really intrigued by the title and the cover of this one. Then when I read the synopsis I knew I was going to read it.

What I thought

This might be one of my favorite of St. James’ novels that I’ve read. I think sometimes her summaries sound better than the books turn out to be but this one really grabbed me.

Shea is a receptionist at a doctor’s office who also runs a blog called The Book of Cold Cases. When the subject of one of the cold cases that she featured walks into her place of work, she takes a risk and decides to ask for an interview. Beth Greer was accused of being the Lady Killer murderer in Claire Lake in the 1970s. Now she gets to tell her story for the first time.

This book had me from the beginning. I was equally sucked into the past and present chapter that alternated between Shea and Beth. Beth’s chapters were a little bit more intriguing just because I was very curious what really happened back in the 70’s, but we were getting information from her interviews with Shea as well. I do wish that parts of Shea’s story/backstory had been fleshed out a little more. I felt like it all came out quickly at the end, and while that was satisfying, I wouldn’t have minded a little more.

The one thing I consistently forget about St. James’s novels is the supernatural elements. In her world, the supernatural is real and you just have to roll with it. I forget that each time and it takes me by surprise and then I have to wrap my head around it all over again. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just not what I usually look for when reading mysteries.

I know I haven’t said much about this book but I don’t want to accidentally give anything away. The two storylines intertwine wonderfully and I couldn’t put this book down. I needed to know what happened and how. While the explanation isn’t maybe what I would’ve chosen, it was satisfying and understandable. Like I said, I think this is my favorite of her mysteries and I would definitely recommend checking it out.